Movable front for automobiles.



No. 788,188. I PATENTED APR. 25, 1905. O. E; OHAMBBRLIN.

MOVABLE FRONT FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED 00w. 31,1904.

11:: j j KL Q; T E [K I frmnm Gzxr/MZ'. WnvicW/zk UNITED STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. CHAMBERLIN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIG'N OR TO JOSEPH N. SMITH & COMPANY, OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN.

MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MOVABLE FRONT'FOR AUTOMOBILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,188, dated. April 25, 1905.

Application filed October 31, 1904. serial No. 230,317.

1'0 all whont it nan/y concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. CHAMBER- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable Fronts for Automobiles, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to glass fronts for antomobiles; and it consists in the construction of a frame and guides upon which the frame moves, the parts being so constructed that the frame can be moved in front of the operator as a protection against wind and storm or be slid on the frame int the top of the car, as more fully hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a glass front and the guides, showing the frame or sash in its vertical position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,showing the frame and sash beneath the canopy-top of an ordinary automobile. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the brackets and clamps attached by which the connection is made between the frame and the guides.

A represents the dashboard of an automobile, B the canopy-top thereon, C the rods or braces supporting the top. These parts may be of any desired construction, and I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction herein shown.

On each side of the vehicle I provide the Vertical guide-rods a and the horizontal guiderods b. These two rods are connected by a curved portion 0. These guides I make by taking a single rod and bending it into the angle shape shown with a curve at the angle.

The guides are supported free from the frame in the canopy-top by suitable brackets 03.

D is a sash which is of a size to properly fill the front of the vehicle beneath the top and fitted between the guides. This sash is glazed as usual and is provided at each corner with a bracket E. On this bracket is secured an apertured lug Cr, in which the pin eis journaled. This pin is secured to each frame integral with the head it of the clamping member. This head is provided at its end with a curved clamping member and on its outer face with a groove k.

G is a complementary clamping member having a curved clamping portion Z and a tenon m, adapted to fit the groove 71:.

H is a screw entering the screw-threaded aperture in the member G and adapted to en ter a corresponding aperture 11. in the head /t.

In the curved clamping portion 71 of the head It I preferably make a socket in which is fitted a ball 0. The curved clamping portions 2' and Z are adapted to engage upon pposite sides of the guide-rods at opposite sides of the sash, as plainly shown in Fig. 1. By slightly loosening the clamping-screw H the clamping members will loosely engage the guide-rods, so that the sash may be adjusted either to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 1, or to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, and when moved to any adjusted position it may be tightly locked upon the guides by simply turning down the clamping-screws H, which for this purpose are provided with the enlarged heads 9*. It will be observed that the clamping member a is the outer member of the two, and this being provided with the balls 0 as the frame reaches its horizontal.

position the balls will run upon the horizontal portion of the rails, and thus reduce the friction and tend to prevent binding or sticking of the sash and also to make it easy to operate.

It will be observed that the pivoted clamping members not only act as clamps to hold the sash onto the guide-bars, but also act as guides for the sash thereon, and that when adjusted and clamped in position there are no parts loose or free for rattling, and the whole device may be locked or unlocked in its adjusted position by simply turning the four screws H.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination of guide-bars adapted to be arranged at the front and beneath the top of an automobile, of a sash and clampingjaws and guides pivoted to the sash and en- 5 automobile and extending vertically and horizontally with a connecting curved portion, of a sash, of heads pivoted thereto at each corner, curved extensions 2' thereon, the complementary member G having a curved portion Z, and means for clamping the members Z and 2' together against the guide members or loosening them for the purpose described.

3. The combination of vertical and horizontal guide-bars and a connecting curved portion adapted to be secured to the front and top of an automobile, of a sash adapted to fit between the guide-bars, brackets on the sash, pivoted clamping members and guides secured to said brackets, and a ball fitting in the outer member of said clamps and adapted to run upon the top of the horizontal portion of the guide-bars for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. CHAMBERLIN. Witnesses:

H. 0. SMITH, ED. D. AUL'I. 

